Is There A Motive To Favour Financially Endowed Parties And Crippled The Rest?

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 QUESTION OF THE DAY

Before 2015 the deposits to participate in Presidential Election stood at 10000 dalasis . The Deposit connected to National  Assembly, Mayoral and Council Elections stood at 5000, 2500 and 1250 dalasis respectively. In 2016 the sums were increased to 500000,50000,50000 and 10000 for Presidential, National Assembly , Mayoral and Council elections, respectively.

After the change of government in 2017  the deposits were reversed to 10000, 5000,2500 and 1250 for Presidential, National Assembly , Mayoral and Council election .

Now, there is consultation on the Election Bill.  Some members of the  National Assembly  should  be  closely watched  to determine whether they will propose an increase in deposits above the Jammeh era .

If they do pass such a law they would leave the National Assembly and Barrows administration with the legacy of promoting political exclusion by monetary means. Such members would have no moral authority to claim they were in favour of electoral reform during the Jammeh era.